Category: March2021

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Don’t Be Fooled!

Have you ever had someone mislead you? Perhaps their actions were an intentional misrepresentation to get a desired end that would benefit them, perhaps not. It’s never a good feeling when you realize you have been duped.

Thoughts of “would’ve, could’ve, should’ve” have plagued me. The “what-if’s” and “if only’s” have played out in my thinking more times than I would like to admit.

Why am I telling you this? It’s something the Apostle Paul told the young Christians in Colossae and I wish I had known this teaching all those years ago.

“Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. 9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” Colossians 2:8-10 NLT

Don’t let anyone capture you with philosophies and nonsense that comes from human thinking.

This is sound advice for all of us. I know that Paul was talking about our Christian faith and teachings involving our walk with Christ. But I also believe that it pertains to our everyday lives. There are all sorts of opinions and beliefs that go contrary to the Word of God and we need to be on guard so we aren’t deceived or drawn astray.

Paul repeats a major truth that we all need to completely saturated with, we are complete in Christ!

Just as Christ was complete because of His relationship with the Father, we are complete because of our relationship with the Son. We have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us to lead and guide us. It is imperative that we listen to that still, small, inner voice for direction and peace.

“But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth. He will not speak his own words. He will speak only what he hears and will tell you what will happen in the future.” John 16:13 ERV

“Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking. It is for peace that you were chosen to be together in one body. And always be thankful. 16 Let the teaching of Christ live inside you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:15-16 ERV

The best way I know to keep from being fooled into wrong thinking and wrong actions is to let the peace of God rule in our hearts! Let it become the final authority. It will either give us a red light or a green light for the things before us.

Have I been perfect in this? Heaven’s no! But I’m a much better listener now to God’s prompting of peace than I have been in the past.

Good advice for daily life is “Don’t be fooled”!

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Discovering Your Roots

A few years ago we took our young grandson camping with us. We took a couple of “nature walks” around the campground.

He was excited to find different kinds of wild flowers (which he picked for his Mom), pine cones of every size, a hollowed out log, a downed tree which was wide enough to walk on and a tree stump which had been up rooted.

He was amazed to see how big the exposed roots were and fascinated by the rocks that were tangled in these large tenacles beneath the earth’s surface. We explained to him, as best you can to a three year old, that these roots were what helped the trees stand tall and not fall over when the wind blew hard or the snow was deep.

What was a fun adventure for a kid was also a great reminder for us as adults.

So many times I find myself drawing on things I learned or experiences I have had as a child. My parents taught me honesty, to be respectful, how to handle hardship, to be a gracious winner, to have a good work ethic and to be loving and friendly to all people. Those roots have supported me throughout my life.

In the last blog we saw that God had kept a mystery hidden through the ages and that mystery was Jesus. Like the lessons my parents taught me, the Apostle Paul is teaching us to have our roots in anchored in the wisdom and knowledge of God.

“I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. 3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:2-3 NLT

There have been times when I have been tested to stand strong. Hard winds of adversity have tried to blow me over. Sometimes I have swayed dramatically with their force and have almost been completely devastated. But when the winds subsided I was standing, thankfully standing, because my roots were firmly planted in my faith in Christ.

“As you have put your trust in Christ Jesus the Lord to save you from the punishment of sin, now let Him lead you in every step. 7 Have your roots planted deep in Christ. Grow in Him. Get your strength from Him. Let Him make you strong in the faith as you have been taught. Your life should be full of thanks to Him.” Colossians 2:6-7 NLV

My faith in Christ is what has been my anchor. He is the one who holds my roots secure. Without Him in my life I would fail to stand, I would be completely uprooted during the storms.

I am so thankful that my roots are deeply planted in Christ and that I am growing stronger in Him with each passing day.

May I encourage you to discover your roots. Let them go deep – it will keep you from falling.

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I Know A Secret

Have you ever been asked to keep a secret?

When our oldest was about three she was helping me wrap some birthday presents for Dave. I told her it was a secret and she couldn’t tell “Daddy” what we had gotten him. Then we took the presents and put them in the hall closet for safe keeping.

Dave came home from work that evening and as he approached the little closet Kim threw herself against the door and frantically said “No Daddy, you can’t look in the door. It’s a secret!”

Dave and I both had a good laugh and needless to say, he opened his presents that night at dinner instead of the next day.

Some secrets are just too good to keep!

For years prophets had told of a coming Messiah, a Savior, but people ignored the message. Then Jesus arrived and he preached the message of restoration and forgiveness for all. He wanted everyone to know that the Father was lovingly reaching out to the world. They heard His message but they were angered by it and they crucified Him.

“We speak of God’s hidden and mysterious wisdom that God decided to use for our glory long before the world began. 8 The rulers of this world didn’t know anything about this wisdom. If they had known about it, they would not have nailed the glorious Lord to a cross…10 God’s Spirit has shown you everything. His Spirit finds out everything, even what is deep in the mind of God.” I Corinthians 2:7- 10 CEV

After Jesus’ death and resurrection the secret was out!

Everywhere people were believing this message that Christ died to bring, “God loves and forgives sinners. He has a plan for them to have a new and abundant life”. This was the message that Paul was bringing to the Colossians and to us.

“God’s plan was to make me a servant of his church and to send me to preach his complete message to you. 26 For ages and ages this message was kept secret from everyone, but now it has been explained to God’s people. 27 God did this because he wanted you Gentiles to understand his wonderful and glorious mystery. And the mystery is that Christ lives in you, and he is your hope of sharing in God’s glory.

28 We announce the message about Christ, and we use all our wisdom to warn and teach everyone, so that all of Christ’s followers will grow and become mature. 29 That’s why I work so hard and use the mighty power he gives me.” Colossians 1:25-29 CEV

The mystery, the secret, is this: “Christ lives in you, and he is your hope of sharing in God’s glory”.

Christ lives in me, in us! What a secret – it has to be shared.

What could the day present that Jesus couldn’t conquer? What problem could we have that Christ couldn’t solve?

Paul had been stoned, beaten, imprisoned and ostracized for preaching this message but that didn’t stop him because he knew that Christ lived in him and was strengthening him in every situation.

The secret’s out – we have been made right with God and He has given us abundant life!

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Clean & Spotless

I’m hoping most of you recognize this image, a clothes line. Some have probably never used one, however, it used to be one of my favorite places.

When Dave and I first started studying, really studying the Bible, we lived in a rental house that accomodated our family quite well. It had everything we needed except a dryer. I would sit at the kitchen table and read my Bible diligently. We were actually doing a word study at the time – faith, peace, love, wisdom, Holy Spirit, etc. We would look each word up in a concordance, write down each reference location and then look them up in our Bibles.

We wanted to know what faith really was, how we received it, how it was to control our lives, how to walk by faith…the same was true for all the other words I listed above.

During this study was when I learned to love doing laundry and it was something I did frequently for a working husband and two small children. It seemed the only time I really had to myself was when the clothes finished washing and were ready to be hung on the line. The smell of freshly laundered sheets and towels and the warm sunshine gave me a sense of God’s presence and peace. The clothes line became my chapel.

It was there, I was alone with my thoughts and the things I had read in the Bible that day would flood my mind and my heart. It was there the Holy Spirit showed me how to apply those verses to my life.

The Bible became practical for the first time in my life. The clothes line was my personal Bible School and the Holy Spirit was my instructor. For the first time, I realized that not only had my sins been forgiven but they had been completely removed from the list of accusations against me. God, the Father Himself, had chosen to forget them completely.

I was clean and spotless in His sight.

“God himself was pleased  to live fully in his Son. 20 And God was pleased for him to make peace by sacrificing his blood on the cross, so that all beings in heaven and on earth would be brought back to God.

21 You used to be far from God. Your thoughts made you his enemies, and you did evil things. 22 But his Son became a human and died. So God made peace with you, and now he lets you stand in his presence as people who are holy and faultless and innocent.” Colossians 1:19-22 CEV

I am faultless and innocent!

Cleansed, just like those sheets I hung on the line. My sins have been removed, no spots left. I had tried for years to atone for big mistakes and I had gotten no where. The guilt plagued me. However, when I read verses like the ones above I came to understand just how amazing God’s grace and how wonderful His love was!

The Father made peace with me because of what Jesus did and I can stand in His presence washed clean and spotless. In His presence I find help for every situation I encounter. You can too!

You have been made holy, faultless and innocent through Jesus’ sacrifice. Let the world see that you are clean and spotless basking in the light of the Son!

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It’s Good Tuesday

Today’s title is interchangeable. It can be used any day of the week!

Why?

God is good all the time and He shares His goodness with us. Who among us doesn’t feel that love, trust, hope, wisdom, strength and joy are good things? All of these characteristics are for us and when added to the grace and peace we learned about yesterday make everyday a good day.

“The Lord has done this. We think it is great! 24 This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us be full of joy and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:23-24 NLV

I don’t understand those who get up and consign themselves to a “bad” day. As believers in Christ we can roll all the cares of the day over on Him and take the joy He gives and fill our day with that.

It’s simple but it takes work to change our mindset. Our Father isn’t a genie with magic powers , no. He is God Almighty, our Father, and He promises to take our cares and direct our steps.

“Turn to the Lord for help in everything you do, and you will be successful.” Proverbs 16:3 ERV

This is the message Paul was writing about to the Christians in Colossae and it is just as true today. These people weren’t spiritual giants, they were new Christians who had only recently accepted the gift of Christ but they were having good days. Paul had received word about their faith and love.

It was a Good Day!

Because of their faith and love hope grew in their hearts. Hope of what was waiting for them in heaven. They shared this hope in their community and many were placing their faith in the Good News of the gospel. The love of the Father was spreading and changing lives.

It’s a Good Day for us as well.

The grace of God changes our lives. We have the same hope and can share in this very same love that they did. God’s love has not decreased through the ages nor has His grace (kindness) depleted. When we begin to understand the depth of His love and grace we will rely upon His strength and power, even in the rough times, knowing that He will carry us through.

May I encourage you to read the first chapter of Colossians. What I’ve shared with you today is in the first few verses. It won’t take long to read it. It’s a life changing message and it will certainly make for A GOOD DAY.

This is my prayer for you:

“I pray that you will be giving thanks to the Father. He has made it so you could share the good things given to those who belong to Christ who are in the light. 13 God took us out of a life of darkness. He has put us in the holy nation of His much-loved Son. 14 We have been bought by His blood and made free. Our sins are forgiven through Him.” Colossians 1:12-14 NLV

We are invited to share in the good things that belong to us in Christ and to know that all our sins are forgiven!

It’s a Good Day to have a Good Day!

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Grace & Peace

Have you ever found yourself in a place that is noisy and chaotic? A place of constant activity – people and/or vehicles rushing about? Yelling, sirens, loud whistles?

I try to avoid those places at all costs! I long for quiet and serenity. I don’t even like the commercials on TV because they come on louder than the programming I’m watching and it seems like they are yelling at me.

Our home is my place of peace. In fact, when we moved in we named it Casa de Paz, House of Peace!

It’s also a place where we extend grace.

Grace, as defined by Webster, 1a: unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification b: a virtue coming from God c: a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine assistance 2a: APPROVAL, FAVOR stayed in his good graces barchaic : MERCY, PARDON c: a special favor : PRIVILEGE d: disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency e: a temporary exemption : REPRIEVE

My simple definition of grace is receiving undeserved goodness.

So why am I talking to you about grace and peace?

For the past few days I have felt compelled to read through the Book of Colossians again. Years ago it became one of my favorite books in the New Testament. Paul’s letter tells of God’s wonderful love, forgiveness, grace, peace and authority. I want to share with you some of my thoughts from this book.

“I am writing to you who belong to Christ in the city of Colossae. May all the Christian brothers there have loving-favor and peace from God our Father.” Colossians 1:2 NLV

The terms loving-favor and kindness are also translations of the word grace.

Paul immediately identifies our relationship with God. When we accept the gift of salvation that comes through Jesus Christ we are adopted by our loving Father, God. He wants the best for us and that starts with Him showering us with grace; loving-favor and kindness.

I see the Father embracing us.

I imagine the outpouring of His love is something like what Dave and I do when the grandkids come to visit, only greater. We meet them on the driveway, help them out of the car and the first thing we do is hug and kiss them. (Their parents also) We mix in a couple of tickles too. Then we take them into the house and show them the special surprises and treats we have planned for them.

Loving-favor.

There have been a couple occasions when these same grandkids have awaken in the night crying, uncertain of where they are or just a little frightened by something. Immediately, we are there. Sshing their fears, kissing their heads and telling them everything will be ok. We create an atmosphere of peace.

This is what God, our Father, does for us. This and so much more is what we receive from Him. Paul wrote thirteen letters to new Christians in the New Testament. Each one of them brings a message of grace and peace. God wants all of His children to know His goodness!

I want everyone to know it too. I pray that you will experience the Father’s kindness and His peace today.


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Run the Race

This morning I am dedicating this blog to my children. They are amazing people.

A few months ago our son-in-law ran his first marathon. It had been cancelled but he traveled to the race site with our daughter and grandson and ran the course anyway. He had trained for it and he ran his race.

This encouraged our youngest daughter who, today, will run her first half marathon. She has been training for months and her race was also cancelled but today she will be running through the streets of her neighborhood to accomplish her goal.

Our children have overcome physical injury and disease and they continue to press on to achieve the goals and dreams in their heart. Their roads haven’t been easy but that’s what makes the accomplishment so rewarding.

“You know that in a race all the runners run, but only one runner gets the prize. So run like that. Run to win! 25 All who compete in the games use strict training. They do this so that they can win a prize—one that doesn’t last. But our prize is one that will last forever.” I Corinthians 9:24-25 ERV

Each of us has been given a race to run, that race is life! Our courses differ. God has given each of us a purpose. Our race is to bring Him honor and glory and He will run every step of it with us, if we ask Him too.

Remember yesterday’s verse – “I will not, I will not, I will not leave you alone or abandon you”. That’s the Father’s promise to us. We are not in this race of life alone. He is with us to protect and strengthen us. We also have a cheering section to encourage us along the journey.

“All these many people who have had faith in God are around us like a cloud. Let us put every thing out of our lives that keeps us from doing what we should. Let us keep running in the race that God has planned for us.” Hebrews 12:1 NLV

When we commit our lives to the Lord, when we receive God’s gift of eternal life, we are given a plan personalized for our strengths and talents. Jesus know the hardships we will face in life and He is here to help us all along the way.

“So Jesus had to become like His brothers in every way. He had to be one of us to be our Religious Leader to go between God and us. He had loving-pity on us and He was faithful. He gave Himself as a gift to die on a cross for our sins so that God would not hold these sins against us any longer. 18 Because Jesus was tempted as we are and suffered as we do, He understands us and He is able to help us when we are tempted.” Hebrews 2:17-18 NLV

Whatever we face in our race of life we aren’t alone. Run with confidence. Jesus is running with us. We will finish the race and receive the prize of life eternal with our Father.

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My Best Friend

Yesterday while I was out working in my yard I was letting my thoughts run. They took me to memories of friends, new and old. I was reminded of confidences we have shared, places we have gone, encouragement and counsel given and tears that have been shed, joyful and those of heart ache. Happy memories. I miss those times but the memories sustain me until I see each of them again.

But there was a time when I felt friendless and alone. In my lowest time when I felt that no cared, Jesus was there for me and He proved Himself to be the quintessential friend. He filled my heart with His love and my loneliness evaporated!

It was during that time I began to see all the individuals throughout the Bible who had a relationship with the Lord. None of them were perfect but the Lord was faithful to them even in their failures. It was the Lord who initiated the relationships.

The Lord came to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David…I think you get the point. He never abandon them and I saw how He has never abandon me. King Solomon wrote “A friend loves at ALL (my emphasis) times” – those words remind me of God’s faithfulness.

Jesus said this: “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:13-14 NLT

That’s exactly what He did – He gave His life for you and me. There is no greater expression of love!

I have one other verse I’d like to share with you. Fifty years ago this verse filled my heart with hope and confidence. All these years later I can honestly say that I have never felt friendless again.

“…for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]” Hebrews 13:5b

I hope those words “I will not” impact you the way they did me. God does not lie and He does not change His character. Those words were written nearly 2000 years ago but they are still true today. God’s faithfulness to those He loves will remain forever.

When I was a young girl I remember singing a song about the relationship we can have with Jesus. However, it wasn’t until some time later that the meaning of the words rang true in my own life. “No One Ever Cared for Me” was written in 1932 by an evangelist, Charles Weigel. The words here are only the first verse and chorus, there are two additional verses which I didn’t include here:

I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus,
Since I found in Him a friend so strong and true;
I would tell you how He changed my life completely,
He did something that no other friend could do.

No one ever cared for me like Jesus,
There’s no other friend so kind as He;
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me,
O how much He cared for me.

My greatest joy is to tell you about my best friend, Jesus. There’s no one like Him. I hope you know Him as your friend too.

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Looking In

It’s so easy for those who don’t know us very well to “look in” on our lives and make judgements.

Have you ever had that happen to you?

It’s hard to deal with but we can dismiss those actions with “they just don’t know me well enough”. However, it’s much harder when someone we love and are close too spreads lies or judges us harshly.

That can cause relationships to crumble and/or jealousy to grow. I know. Personally, I have been judged harshly on a couple occasions and regretfully, I have also been guilty of doing the same.

I’d like to tell you about a lady who had her reputation besmirched publically. She was called out because of her past. Her accuser tried to humiliate her in the presence of his friends and business associates. She had no where to retreat from his cruel words.

“Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”…

 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” Luke 7:36-50 NKJV

Jesus’ words “judge not unless you want to be judged” ring in my heart when I read this story. No one is insignificant to the Father. He sent His Son to die for everyone of us. Others may judge us, whether correctly or incorrectly, but Jesus only judges sin and all sin is the same to Him. And then He offers us peace and forgiveness.

The Bible tells us that man looks at what we do on the outside but God looks at our hearts. When people make hurtful accusations, look inside to see what God sees. Others may see failure, a screw-up, but God sees us as His sons and daughters, forgiven and wrapped in His love.

“God’s Spirit doesn’t make us slaves who are afraid of him. Instead, we become his children and call him our Father.” Romans 8:15 CEV

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I’m Listening!

This morning I read a quote by Colin Powell and I’d like to share it with you.

“All children need a laptop. Not a computer, but a human laptop. Moms, Dads, Grannies and Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles – someone to hold them, read to them, teach them. Loved ones who will embrace them and pass on the experience, rituals and knowledge of a hundred previous generations. Loved ones who will pass to the next generation their expectations of them, their hopes, and their dreams.“

The truth of this statement rang true in my heart. I realized that it isn’t just small children who need a laptop but we grown-ups need one as well…and we have One!

We have a Father whose lap is available 24/7. He’s never too busy to spend time with us, to listen to us or to share His love with us.

“For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for well-being and not for trouble, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will look for Me and find Me, when you look for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 NLV

It’s imperative to be a good listener if we desire to have strong relationships. Children need to know that their parents are listening; spouses must listen to each other; co-workers must listen to be an effective cohesive team and friendships are shallow without a commitment to listening.

Listening is caring! It says “You are important to me. I will give you the one commodity I can’t replace, my time.”

I haven’t always been a good listener – a good talker, yes, but not always a good listener. With age, I have improved. Now, when I know someone is wanting to talk and be heard, I will often say “Give me just a minute to finish this and then you will have my undivided attention”. I try to listen more and interrupt less. Relationships improve when we listen. The one talking feels valued.

“Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name. 17 And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I publicly recognize and openly declare them to be My jewels (My special possession, My peculiar treasure). And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.” Malachi 3:16-17 AMPC

The Lord listens when we talk to Him and about Him; He says He sees us as a treasure, as valuable as jewels.

Not only does the Lord listen but He responds. He’ll provide us with answers. He gives us instruction, wise counsel, course correction and help. He tells us His hopes and dreams for our future.

“Call to Me, and I will answer you. And I will show you great and wonderful things which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 NLV

Listening is a two-way street. We are listened to and then we listen for is said to us.

The Lord hears our praise and our prayers. We need to listen as He tells us the great and wonderful things that He has planned for us.

Lord, I’m listening!

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